


maybe you were stronger than i was

by secretlyhokage



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Genre: ANAKIN IS TRYKING OK, Father and son bonding, Gen, au where anakin survives rotj
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-04-07
Packaged: 2018-05-31 18:24:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6481828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secretlyhokage/pseuds/secretlyhokage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>--Peace. After long decades of hatred, Anakin is at peace. And he is safe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	maybe you were stronger than i was

**Author's Note:**

> so I haven't written in a long time so be gentle wid me!!

Anakin opens his eyes. 

He's blinded for a few long seconds, the whiteness of the light making him wince. He blinks a few more times, before realizing he's on a bed. 

Anakin is on a bed. 

Anakin is Anakin. This is all too new for him. 

The first person he sees is a blond man, with focused blue eyes. He's wearing all black, too much in contrast with the bright room. anakin can't speak; he never remembers his throat being this dry. 

The blond man opens his mouth. "Do you remember me?" His voice is shaky, sounding too much like uncertainty. Yes, Anakin remembers him. He is Anakin's savior. He is Anakin's son. 

With all the power Anakin has (which is not much), he tries to stretch his mouth to resemble a smile. Instead of grinning like Anakin hoped so, he ended up in terrible pain. hot fire spread his face and it hurt. 

Closing his eyes, Anakin thought of a different approach while maintaining neutral in the face of pain. "Yes," he croaked, and it made the man's face tilt ever so slightly. "Luke. Luke, my son." 

The man froze, and the rise of his chest stayed still. Anakin on the other hand was grasping for breaths he was deprived of. he wasn't wearing his suit he also noticed. there were no mechanical breathing needed for anakin; just miles long of tubes and wires connected to him for the time being. Anakin would trade the suit for bed rest any day. 

Luke got closer, with a hint of a smile. "Yes, Father," he said. "I'm glad you remember. You're currently safe, under the republic's protection. The empire crumbled and Palpatine is dead. Dad, you're safe. You're safe." 

Anakin tried to keep his eyes open, but he felt as if his eye lids were pounds heavy, heavier than he can ever lift. Then, he felt a single tear roll down his cracky face. Anakin knows he's disfigured. He is ashamed to show his true face to Luke, but Anakin doesn't feel anything right now besides gratitude and--

\--Peace. after long decades of hatred, anakin is at peace. And he is safe. 

"Thank you," Anakin chokes out. "Thank you for saving me." When no one else couldnt, he wants to say, but Luke wouldn't understand. Luke wouldn't understand Padme nor Obi-wan's pleas to go back to the light. Luke wouldn't understand a togruta's promise. Luke wouldn't know. 

But Anakin will tell him. He will tell Luke everything. 

And so will Leia. In time, Anakin will learn to withstand her harsh words meant to come. He will learn how to cope with a half daughter, only connected by blood and nothing else. Anakin Skywalker will never be the father to Leia Organa; that job was solely Bail's, and forever will be. Anakin just hopes that there will be some connection, between him and his daughter. 

"Leia," Anakin asks, because she is important. "Where is your sister?" His heart is beating fast, and Anakin doesn't remember being this panicky about someone else this much before. Anakin has never been a father before; he can start now. 

Luke takes a step forward, because Anakin is getting quieter and quieter. Anakin feels he will be unconscious soon, so these few minutes will be crucial. As long as he learns that Leia is safe, Anakin can rest. 

"She's in the outer rim," Luke responds grimly. Luke was previously there with Leia, but a deeper feeling sent Luke to Anakin. His father was waking from his long slumber; he couldn't miss that. "The empire may be dead, but the body is still fighting. We can't kill the head and call it a day." 

"Is she safe?" is all Anakin asks. He's fading away, and he is clinging to hold on. anakin needs to know if Leia is safe. 

It is Luke's turn to close his eyes. He lets the force move through him, like the way Ben and Master Yoda has taught him. Do not ask for the force, they once said to him. Let the force intrude you, and take note of the prescence. 

He feels hot laser burns, and the loud rumbles of a collapsing ship. But there are also cheers, loud cheers of victory. It can be concluded that Leia is indeed in pain (if the laser wound can be anything counted for), but she's in safe hands. It is a victory for the new republic. 

Luke smiles. "Leia is safe." Of course she is, he wants to add. If she wasn't, I would have felt it. 

Anakin lets go. He falls back to his slumber, until his next waking. It'll be a long time, but he knows when he wakes up, luke will be there. 

Padme will have to wait just a little bit more. Anakin is alive, and is willing to do anything to mend the damage he's created in this galaxy. Whatever he did will not fix everything, but anakin is trying. he is determined. 

"Good night," Anakin whispers, and let's the dreams take him. 

Anakin is sure Luke heard him, because the light in the force gets a little bit brighter after that.


End file.
